Lake Atalanta Group Presses Its Concerns

On this everyone who has spoken up in Rogers appears to agree: Lake Atalanta is a resource of great importance to the community that is not being used to its full potential.

And so it is that many people support spending millions on a renovation to make the park land more relevant to modern-day living in Rogers.

A point of contention lingers, however, about what the renovation might do to the ecology surrounding the lake, and the mayor and other city leaders are hearing about it from a dozen people collectively urging the city to slow down.

Our biggest concern last week when two public hearings on renovation plans were scheduled, and kept, was the poor road conditions due to snow and ice. The city plunged ahead, apparently unconcerned that travel conditions might affect turnout. As it happened, about 75 people showed up for each meeting, so perhaps such concerns were misplaced.

For weeks now, a dozen local residents have lobbied the city with concerns Mayor Greg Hines and Co. haven’t taken their ecological concerns to heart. They have asked for seats at the table to ensure the city’s work doesn’t conflict with the valued natural ecosystem around the lake.

The bottom line for this vocal group seems to be a desire that the city renovate the park, but that it not go too far.

“We want to see this project done, but we would like to see it done the right way so the ecological balance in the park is maintained,” said Ellen Turner, a biology instructor at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.

At the core of the conflict is the question of who will ultimately decide what’s “the right way.”

Hines has declined to stack up any soap boxes from which this group of a dozen can espouse their concerns, but he’s not preventing them from being part of his process, either.

“The statement from the group will be given the same consideration as the comments received during the public meetings,” Hines said.

Hines pledges more public meetings on the plan at different stages. The existing plan is a concept, he says, with details to be worked out as the city figures out what each part of land around Lake Atalanta will look like.

Among the group’s concerns is whether the city has investigated the ecological impacts of its plans, whether it’s from erosion related to trails or the inclusion of a spring-fed pond that would house trout, a fish not native to the area. They’re also a little miffed the mayor’s committee working up the plan consisted mostly of city and chamber of commerce officials.

The fact this group continues to speak out suggests they do not feel City Hall is listening enough. These are longtime members of the community who have demonstrated they’re not just a bunch of blatherers seeking attention. If they don’t feel heard, that’s got to be a concern for the city’s elected leadership.

There is every possibility the end result of this Late Atalanta project will satisfy everyone’s needs and concerns, but it’s too early to know that. City leaders should be concerned such a group continues to pine for more involvement and more answers. Trust us, Hines says, but these proponents of ecological sensitivity appear to fear the process and its ability to handle their concerns well.

Calming those concerns is the responsibility of Hines and the Rogers City Council.